Yemen and the Red Sea

Saudi aviation authority says two attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid airport killed three Saudis and hit a Saudia aircraft

This version is a correction.

ATTACK
Location
King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh (impact points within the airport not published)
Actors
Houthis · Saudi Arabia
Importance
Standard

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said two attacks hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 8 October 2026, the first striking airport facilities and the second a Saudia aircraft on the apron, killing three Saudi nationals and injuring several. Hindustan Times also reported the three-death figure and said one of the dead was national-carrier pilot Hamoud Ali Alkalthami; Al Jazeera reported that Saudia named the pilot and that the airport had reopened. The Houthis claimed the airport missile strike; Riyadh has not assigned blame in the accounts retrieved.

  • Fatalities: Best 3 · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: Three Saudi citizens killed in Thursday attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport; Houthis claimed the strike, GACA: three fatalities and a number of injuries in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh airport after Houthi attack kills three, 3 killed, including Saudia pilot, in Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport, aircraft · Three Saudi nationals killed in the two attacks on King Khalid airport, per GACA; Saudia named one as Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami.

Verification: unverified

Evidence: Three Saudi citizens killed in Thursday attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport; Houthis claimed the strike, SpectreMonitor: Saudia confirms death of Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalyhami in Riyadh airport strikes, Saudia: aircraft damaged on the apron; GACA says two strikes hit King Khalid Airport, the second hitting a Saudia aircraft, Smoke seen rising from aircraft at Riyadh airport, GACA: three fatalities and a number of injuries in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh airport after Houthi attack kills three, 3 killed, including Saudia pilot, in Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport, aircraft

The casualty figure comes from the Saudi aviation authority (GACA), relayed by Faytuks Network, Al Mayadeen English, Osint613 and Hindustan Times; GACA's own text was not retrieved directly. Reuters' earlier report of smoke from an aircraft fits the GACA account of a Saudia aircraft hit on the apron. The weapon type is not established: the Houthis claimed a missile strike and Riyadh has not assigned blame. Faytuks also relays a GACA figure of 3 fatalities and 36 injuries covering attacks on Abha and Riyadh airports together; that combined figure is not used here. Saudia named Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami among the dead (Al Jazeera 9 Oct / SpectreMonitor / Hindustan Times).